World Healthy Eating Tour - 7-Day Southern-Inspired Meal Plan

In this article: 

• It can be hard to find easy, healthy meals for weight loss. But it is possible.
  
• This meal plan is inspired by southern cooking with a healthy and delicious twist.
  
• The meal plan has 7 days’ worth of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. They total about
  1,200 calories. You can add snacks if you need more calories.
  
• Be sure to ask your doctor before using any new meal plan.
  
• The Lark digital coach is available 24/7 on your smartphone with more tips for healthy
  weight loss.

Healthy eating for weight loss can be simple. And it can taste good. Here is a 7-day meal plan to try. Most of the meals take only a few minutes to put together. There are a few delicious recipes you can try if you like.

Each day shows about 1,200 calories. The menus get about 30 to 35% of their calories from carbohydrates. If you need to, you can add snacks from this Snack List. You can also consider using swaps from our Healthy Swaps List.

Here are a few tips for success. 

• Olive oil is a healthy swap for butter in cooking.
  
• Roasting and pan-frying (using cooking spray) are lower-calorie swaps for deep frying.
  
• Whole-grain or stone-ground grits, whole-grain cornmeal, whole-grain English muffins,
  and whole-wheat flour can help you get more whole grains compared to using regular
  grits, refined cornmeal and flour, and white biscuits.
  
• Brown rice and whole-grain pasta are good swaps for white rice and regular pasta.
  
• Greek yogurt and low-fat sour cream can make salads creamy without adding much
  mayonnaise.
  

Here are some more tips. 

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Aim for at least 64 ounces.
  
• Each meal has about 30 grams of nutritious carbohydrates. That is a moderately low
  amount. It can help with weight loss and health.
  
• Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting a new meal plan, and ask what might be the
  best approach for your own needs.
  
• Include some physical activity, as long as your healthcare provider supports it. A good
  goal for most people is at least 150 minutes per week.
  

Recipes 

Black-Eyed Pea Soup 

There are so many reasons to make soup. It is easy and delicious. You can put in all kinds of healthy ingredients and use soup as a way to increase your intake of vegetables. You can make a big batch on the weekend or whenever you are at home for a couple of hours. Then freeze the leftovers in small containers, and thaw one out whenever you need something healthy to eat. 

This black-eye pea soup has vegetables, whole grains, protein, healthy fat, and tons of fiber. The recipe calls for black-eyed peas, but you can easily use any type of beans, lentils, or split peas instead. You can also add any vegetables you like, such as cabbage, mushrooms, or bell peppers. If you don’t have vegetable juice at home, you can substitute 2 cups of water and 1 can of tomato paste, or add another can of tomatoes plus 1⁄2 cup of water. 

Makes 8 servings 

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
  
• 1 large diced onion
  
• 2 chopped carrots
  
• 3 stalks of sliced celery
  
• 2 cups of okra
  
• 2 cups of low-sodium tomato or vegetable juice
  
• 2 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth
  
• 1⁄2 cup of dry brown rice
  
• 1 15-ounce can of stewed tomatoes
  
• 1⁄2 teaspoon of basil
  
• 1⁄2 teaspoon of thyme
  
• 1⁄2 teaspoon of oregano
  
• Black pepper to taste
  
• 2 cans of black-eyed peas
  
•  (optional) 8 ounces of vegetarian sausage or soy chorizo ‍

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and okra. Cook for 5 minutes. 
2. Add the vegetable juice, vegetable broth, tomatoes, spices, and rice. Stir, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add the black-eyed peas and vegetarian sausage. Simmer for another 20 minutes and then serve.

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Cajun Salmon Vegetable Croquettes with Creamy Dipping Sauce 

Forget fried salmon croquettes that are packed with butter and are low in nutrients. These delicious baked croquettes are high in protein, made with vegetables and whole grains, and baked in the oven. They are seasoned with cajun seasoning. The dipping sauce is optional, but it is healthier than a cream-based sauce and is full of flavor. 

You can use a ready-made cajun seasoning mix, or make your own cajun seasoning mix with salt and equal parts of dried oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. To coat the croquettes, use whole-grain cornmeal, crushed whole-grain cornflakes, wheat germ, or whole-wheat breadcrumbs or panko. You can use fresh salmon or another type of fish, 1 drained 15-ounce can of salmon, or canned tuna. 

Makes 4 servings 

Ingredients: 

• 12 ounces of fresh skinless and boneless salmon
  
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
  
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
  
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
  
• 1 yellow onion, diced
  
• 1⁄4 cup of chopped green onion
  
• 2 egg whites or 1 egg
  
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, divided
  
• 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning, divided
  
• 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard, divided
  
• 3⁄4 cup of fat-free sour cream or plain yogurt, plus another 2 tablespoons
  
• Hot sauce to taste (optional), divided
  
• 2⁄3 cup of whole-grain cornmeal, divided
  
• 3⁄4 cup of plain yogurt
  
• 1⁄4 cup of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

‍Directions:

1. Place the cornmeal on a pan, plate, or pie tin. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set them aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
   
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Add the salmon and cook on each side for 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper, yellow onion, and celery, and cook until they start to soften and the salmon is thoroughly cooked.
   
3. Beat the egg whites or egg in a medium bowl. Add the salmon and vegetables, along with the green onion, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard, hot sauce to taste, 2 tablespoons of fat-free sour cream or plain yogurt, and 1⁄4 cup of cornmeal. Mix the ingredients to combine them.
   
4. Form the salmon mixture into patties. You should get 10 to 12 patties. Press them gently so they hold their form and lose a bit of their liquid. Coat each side of each patty with cornmeal by gently pressing each side into the cornmeal. Then place the patties on the prepared baking sheet and brush them with olive oil.
   
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
6. While they are cooking, make the dipping sauce in a small bowl by whisking together the fat-free sour cream, remainder of the mustard, cajun seasoning, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and hot sauce, and chopped fresh parsley or cilantro. 

Whole-Grain Cornmeal 

Homemade cornbread can be easy, healthy, and delicious! This recipe has whole-grain cornmeal and whole-wheat flour, and it uses buttermilk and oil instead of butter. You can use 1 cup of milk plus 1 tablespoon of vinegar instead of buttermilk if needed. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of whole-wheat flour
  
• 1 cup of whole-grain cornmeal
  
• 3 tablespoons of sugar (or monk fruit or other natural low-calorie sweetener)
  
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  
• 3⁄4 teaspoon of salt
  
• 1 cup of buttermilk
  
• 3 tablespoons of canola oil
  
• 2 eggs, beaten ‍

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan.
   
2. Mix the whole-wheat flour, whole-grain cornmeal, sugar or sweetener, baking powder,
   and salt in a small bowl.
   
3. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, and buttermilk.
   
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Stir gently until the batter is moistened. Lumps
   will remain.
   
5. Bake for 17 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
   

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